The Nordic Knitting Conference was absolutely great.  Taking classes with Tuulia?  even greater!

Lucky Lolly had a full day with this knitter/designer extraordinaire.  Friday started with a long bus ride and my own personal tour-by-bus through Seattle on my way up to the Nordic Heritage Museum.  Once I got to building, I registered and peeked around looking for my classroom.  Tuulia and I talked a few times before class, and we read each others’ blogs (she is in Project Spectrum!) but this was our first time meeting.  I walked into the auditorium and there was Tuulia!  …and she was wearing this!  and I gasped! (yes, all of the drama is completely warranted!)

Seriously people. Get a load of that.  She knit it in a week specifically for this conference.  The stranding at the bottom is based off of two traditional Finnish mitten patterns with the added braids.  So she did that and just kept knitting until she had a beautiful skirt.  She sure can churn out the amazingness (check out her “Northern Lights” shawl!).  She designed even more things – like the two class projects!

The first class, Finnish Mitten Design, went so well.  Tuulia shared a table full of beautiful mittens in traditional patterns, and then unveiled the special mitten pattern for our class.  The patterning on the cuff is based on an embroidery design from the region of Karelia.  She framed this piece with vikkel braids in two colors, and then moved into the simple traditional stranded pattern for the main mitten piece.  Take a look at this beauty:

Tuulia’s class sample and my humble beginnings on the double pointed needles – knit in three colors of Knit Picks Palette yarn.

My classmate, Karen, knitting her mitten.  This was her first foray into stranded colorwork and she just jumped right in and had great results!

Oh vikkel braid.  I have read about you in Nancy Bush’s books – it is an Estonian and Finnish technique – and I had no idea how to do it until Tuulia showed me in class.  Now I want to try it all the time!

The mittens will take me a little while because I have several other projects on the needles.  I teased that this is more likely to become a knitted oven mitt since I am unlikely to knit two full mittens.  However, they are so beautiful that a pair really would be nice (but almost too pretty to wear!)

The afternoon class, Finnish Textile Traditions,  was more of a history and storytelling session about Finland, some elements of the culture, and lots of information about traditional textiles.  Tuulia talked about the sheep breeds in Finland, handspinning and the equipment used, weaving, embroidery and needle arts, ryas, and about knitting and crochet.  Like so many countries with early textile traditions, things were created for a function and a purpose, and it was not until much later that items took on a more decorative element.  Lace, stranded colorwork, special embroidery additions:  all of these things are known in Finland’s traditional textiles. My favorite part of Tuulia’s presentation was on her research of the Saami, the indigenous people in northern Finland and through Scandinavia.  She shared some of her experiences of working with the Saami as a historian.  It was so fascinating.  I hope we have the chance to sit together again, I want to hear more stories!

[Full Conference Photo Set Here]

One of my classmates brought in a handwoven textile heirloom for analysis.  Her family was Finnish and she wanted Tuulia’s opinion on origins.

Although I have not started on the class project for this class (alas, no picture!) Tuulia adapted a well-known Finnish pattern to a pair of ladies stockings.  She put together the pattern and I am looking forward to starting it in the beautiful green yarn I showed last time.  The lace stitching looks similar to dragon scales, so I think the lightly variegated green will be perfect!  You can see the finished socks on Tuulia’s blog.

What a wonderful day!  I felt so inspired after seeing her work and learning more about Finland.  Thank you Tuulia!  let’s meet again (stop by DC en route to Finland!)

During the lunch break, I walked through some of the galleries at the museum:

In the process of peeking, I spied a certain Ms. Nancy Bush   That was a nice surprise, and I talked to her and thanked her personally for the great interview I got back in 2006. I hear her classes went quite well – she did a series of Estonian lace classes on two days of the conference.

The Nordic Heritage Museum was a wonderful place, and they are planning to continue the Nordic Knitting Conference in the future.  There was some talk about moving the dates to the fall.  Either way, I would love to go again and learn more about this region of the world and the beautiful textiles that come from it.  As you know, I was already a fan of yoked sweaters and stranded colorwork – so I have plenty of inspiration to knit more and more of these Nordic patterns now!

I will be there for the Nordic Knitting Conference, sponsored by the Nordic Heritage Museum.  On Friday, I am signed up for two workshops with the amazingly talented Tuulia Samela:  Finnish Mitten Design and Finnish Textile Tradition.  Descriptions of the classes get me all excited:

Finnish Mittens: Finnish mittens are full of tradition and inspiration for modern knitters! Learn about materials and techniques and examine samples of mitten patterns. Students will begin a pair of traditional mittens in stranded knitting while learning about the stitch patterns, colors and symbols in traditional mittens.

Finnish Textiles: What makes Finnish textiles different from all the others? Learn all about Finnish handicrafts – the history, the influences, the materials, the traditions. While examining samples of traditional needlework, the class will discuss Finnish traditional nålbinding, weaving, embroidery, ryas, crochet, knitting and more.

Both classes have knitting projects – the mitten class is pretty obvious, but the second class has a surprise project involving a light sport-weight yarn and size 3 needles…

I chose to use the Sanguine Gryphon Little Traveler yarn that I picked up at last year’s Homespun Yarn Party (I will miss this year’s party – which is about 3 miles from my house, no less! – since I will be in Seattle… have fun everyone!)  I thought the green was quite appropriate for Project Spectrum, and Tuulia says that the 2-ply should work just fine   I love a good surprise!

Jenna has some fun stuff planned – yarn shop tours, yummy vegan dinners, and lots of photo ops! She knows me well!  …and you can be assured that I will share the details with you all upon return!

]]> http://lollygirl.com/blog/2009/03/11/nordic-knitting/feed 29 http://lollygirl.com/blog/2008/07/07/silk-stripes-scarf http://lollygirl.com/blog/2008/07/07/silk-stripes-scarf#comments Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:20:06 +0000 lolly http://lollygirl.com/blog/2008/07/07/silk-stripes-scarf Once I get a new warp on the loom, I can zoom right along.  It’s just getting that new warp on… the process takes a steady hand and a dedicated attention span – threading all of the heddles, sleying the reed, beaming.  Once I am in that zone, I quite enjoy the process of it.  Especially with a good audiobook* playing.

Silk Stripes Scarf 
Warp: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Tweed in Linen (2 skeins)
Weft: Noro Silk Garden in 249 (1 skein) & 269 (1 skein)

[more photos of the Silk Stripes Scarf here]

Each skein of the Silk Garden yielded three bobbins (to put in the boat shuttle) each, so with six bobbins, I alternated the striping patterns between the earthy colors of the 249 colorway and the cream variegations of the 269.  Each bobbin gave me between 7 and nine inches of woven fabric.  The deep colors of the 249 colorway appear to be three different skeins of yarn – but that is the true beauty of Noro!  Every time I work with Noro, I fall a *little* more in love with it.  (Sad side story:  Remember my Shinano cowl?  Totally loved that thing.  Well, I seem to have lost it somewhere en route to Nova Scotia.  I think it must have been at Dulles Airport somewhere…  I am thinking around the security check when I was hurrying to put my shoes back on… ack.  I loved that thing.  And now I want more Shinano to compensate!)

I am brimming with weaving inspiration right now – so many great ideas and designs out there!  Many thanks to Barbara at The Lumpy Sweater for sending a weaving book she found at a sale.  It is about Finnish weaving techniques.  I look forward to trying some… once I get a little better!

…

I had a nice holiday with the family.  We planned to go down to see the fireworks in DC, but the thunder and lightning kept us at home.  We played a few card games and Scattergories whilst munching on my leftover Friendship bread!  It was a fun night.  My sister Sarah and I made plans to get together the next day to check out the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.  The weather forecast didn’t look particularly pleasant, but it ended up being quite nice once we got to the National Mall.

The themes this year were Bhutan, Texas, and NASA.  Very disparate themes, but a good mix for a day of learning.  The SFF seems to always include a rich textiles display, and that offers some amazing photo opportunities.  So full of color!

[All photos from Festival here]

 We saw several demonstrations, heard a few discussions (a particularly interesting one on the environmental sensibilities of the Bhutanese people and their Gross National Happiness) and in the Texas “Opry” pavillion, I got to dance.  The band was playing some polka music, and this older gentleman came up and held his hand out to me.  I hesitated and pointed at my sister, but he pointed right at me.  So, I polka-ed with this man (who didn’t speak any English… I believe he was actually Polish) in front of a large audience.  Even though we lived in Texas for a short while when I was young, I guess I didn’t realize that polka was so “big” there.  The band was pretty good, and my dance partner was getting quite into it.  He kept on saying things to help lead me in the dance (but I did not understand!) and I just stepped around in a square figure.  He even twirled me around a few times!  what a charmer!  (…but Kris should have no cause for concern…)

*I listened to The Man Who Loved China whilst weaving my scarf.  Fascinating and engaging story!  (Psst – anyone else on Goodreads?)

The flax plant has been cultivated and used for food and fiber for thousands of years. The flax plant is native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia, explaining the fiber history of linen, spun from the fibers of the flax plant. Some of the oldest known textiles are linens that have been preserved by the arid climate of the region – of particular note are the handspun linen strips that were used in ancient Egypt to wrap the mummified remains of pharaohs and the elite.

Knowing the detailed past of this fiber, I looked forward to working with it. The modern linen industry seems to be centered in Europe now, and many of the well-known commercial fibers come from mills there.

I am using the linen to make a summer pullover – the Mottled Summer Sweater from Rebecca #36. Linen is the quintessential summer fabric, known for its coolness and its wickability. With the hot summer ahead, this is definitely something I need to consider. I chose to modify the pattern by taking out the cables. I loved them as a design feature, but with the mottled yarn, the cables looked strange and lumpy with no definition. I chose stockinette, and it is simple and beautiful. The wide v-neck was what attracted me to the pattern, and that will definitely stay in tact.

I bought this linen, Louet’s Euroflax Chunky, at this year’s Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. The Parsley colorway and the haze of the fiber (as well as its easy care instructions) drew me to it. Enough to splurge a little, as linen is not exactly a cheap fiber. I don’t regret my decision. This yarn in knitting up beautifully, and quite quickly too, as I am using size 11 needles to knit. I can see this one becoming a three-season staple for years to come.

Brooke at The Daily Purl has made some fabulous stoles and scarves with Habu warp and weft yarns, so those are definitely tempting me. But, then so are Olga and Vanessa’s Habu knit creations…

With the help and advice of some weaving friends I met through Ravelry and Flickr, I decided to add a few specific weaving yarns to my stash – just to avoid some of the tension problems I have experienced of late. I am hoping to warp up this linen soon and began work on the denim rag rug!

There is no doubt about the strength of this yarn: 100% linen! It should make a great rug warp, and I liked the natural undyed color to go with the simple indigo of the jean rags. I picked this up from WEBS, along with a few other weaving yarn goodies.

Valley Yarns CotLin 8/2 cones

I really liked the springy combination of these colorways, and the three of them came with a dishtowel drafting pattern for the loom. If I can find the patience and wherewithal, I will attempt the plaid dishcloth! With 3000 yards each, I can afford to experiment a little and play around on the loom.

And as I learn more about my loom and its capabilities, I am also looking at my sock yarn stash in a new way. After seeing some fun store samples woven up at The Mannings, I think it would be a blast to experiment with the colors of sock yarns. After a winter sock “drought” – my last pair being the Autumnal Equinox socks for Socktoberfest – I finally cast on for a pair of socks yesterday after feeling the urge to see how this yarn would knit up. Definitely wanted to knit with this one – there was no thought of using it for weaving.

The feminine companion to the other GGH socks I made for Kris… another thanks to Debi for sending these (now discontinued) yarns in a trade almost two years ago!

After seeing a parade of beautiful socks by Chawne, I felt the time was right to finally cast on for some socks. I was waiting to finish my sister’s sweater, but I thought: why delay happiness? These socks are making me pretty happy! I started them on the train while I was traveling downtown to see Amber, who was in DC for work. We had a yummy Ethiopian dinner. And while we did not knit or take photos of our outing, we had a great time

So, as I look over my stash, I am thinking about all of the possibilities and all of the fabrics – both knit and woven – that can be created. It excites me. It’s like a newfound spirit of adventure: seeing my stash with both weaver and knitter eyes!

…and this is what came of it:

“Knitting for Keeps: Jane Hutchins” Interweave Knits, Spring 2008

Many months in the works – and my copy of the magazine finally came. It is quite satisfying to see my name in the byline. That’s me: Lauren Weinhold. Page 16.

I had a series of phone interviews with Jane, who lives in British Columbia, in late October and early November. One of the most memorable interviews was conducted while Kris and I were away for the week in Williamsburg: I sat on a rock near the James River on Jamestown Island and learned all about textile conservation, raising Icelandic sheep, and the importance of caring for your textiles now.

Cover headline!

This is a big step for me. I have written since I was a child, and I was encouraged by family, teachers, and friends to write more. While I primarily wrote fiction as a child, I have switched to writing primarily non-fiction since college. I enjoy the in-depth research and putting the words together. I even enjoy the editing process… maybe this is the beginning of something bigger, but in the meantime, I am just going to be happy that Jane’s story and her work could be showcased in this way. I hope that you are able to take something away from the article too: you spend so valuable money and time to make your textile crafts beautiful – why not ensure that they will last? on that same note, you can learn how to better care for the textiles that have been passed down to you!

Thank you Avice for introducing me, Eunny for accepting the pitch, and finally to Jane for the amazing work that you do!

… … …

Another big first: I am nearing a landmark comment number over the next few posts, and I am thinking that it would be really fun to celebrate it by thanking you with some presents from my yarn and book stash! So, for three of you – the -999, -000, -001, – I have three gifts. The -000 comment will get first choice, and the -999 and -001 can decide which items they like after that. I do hope it works out

1) My favorite sock yarn in a gorgeous red colorway – so pretty and perfect for Project Spectrum! 450 yards of Tess Designer Yarns‘ Super Sock and Baby yarn. This yarn has held up so well for me in the two pairs of socks I have made with it. I think you will love it too!

2) Denyse Schmidt Quilts and a Quilt-It Kit by Denyse Schmidt – the book is full of inspirational quilts sewn with beautiful fabrics. The kit is complete with items to make a log-cabin style pillow with a cute yellow and aqua fabric. A perfect place to start your quilting adventures, or to continue with your hobby! (You can see some of her designs made by some of my Flickr friends)

3)Yarn Place Graceful in #3627 colorway – if you scroll down on the website, you can see a knitted lace sample of this same colorway – so pretty! I bought this yarn a few months ago but I still have no idea what to do with it – I don’t knit lace very often – but I know that a lot of you do.

Morning walk near The Mannings

It started with a drive up to Pennsylvania… E met me at my house, and we drove together. I drove and she knit socks while we talked about our excitement for the upcoming weekend. We took a leisurely drive to The Mannings, stopping at the yarn shop and then stopping for dinner. We arrived at the school and got set up for the night (you can stay on the premises with the owners if you are taking classes). It would have been possible to actually stay at home and drive up the next morning, but E and I agreed that staying there would help with the whole immersion part of the weekend – it truly felt like a getaway where we could focus on the art and practice of weaving.

The studio at The Mannings has dozens of looms for workshops and demos – it is fascinating to look at the construction of the looms and how each manufacturer differs. There were floor looms and a few tabletop looms, and by the afternoon of the first day, we each had a loom to use, and a project to work on. We spent a large part of the morning learning about all of the preparation – undoubtedly the most complicated part of the process – and preparing our warps. We chose kits that we already cut to length, but we still learned the process of using the warping board, measuring your yarn/thread, and how to determine the technicalities like “ends per inch” and “picks per inch”, which in theory are so very similar to the knitter’s preparation for projects: finding the right gauge, yardage, etc.

There were two kinds of kits available for students to use for their first woven scarf: E and I both chose the wool kits – Harrisville Shetland Tweed 2 ply and Mountain Colors Mountain Goat for the warp and weft. Many of the other students chose a nice cotton kit with Brown Sheep Cotton Fine and a pretty novelty beaded rayon thread. E chose a beautiful red/rust colored colorway, while I chose deep purples, indigos, and blacks.

E and me “slaying our reed”, not as gruesome as it sounds

There are so many processes involved with weaving, and taking the photos really helped solidify the steps in my mind. The slaying of the reed, and threading the heddles are the most time-consuming part, although I did find pleasure in these seemingly mindless preparation tasks – they are simple and repetitive motions that you can completely immerse yourself in. I kept on thinking how nice it would be to have a good audiobook to listen to while I was doing it!

…and finally, after all of the warping was finished, we could start the real weaving!

We went to dinner and came back to weave “after hours”. We stayed at the studio until about 10pm, when we returned back to the room and rehashed everything we had learned. E practiced a drafting diagram in our textbook while I read through complementary copies of Interweave’s Handwoven magazine: it was clear that we were both hooked! I was hoping to fit some knitting in, but my eyes got pretty heavy, and E reported that I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

We woke up early on Day Two and were excited about learning how to finish our day one knitting (cutting it off the loom, knotting a fringe, and washing). The finishing measures are equally important in weaving as they are in knitting: a sloppy finished weave can mess up a beautiful woven piece. As the pieces were drying after a dunk in some conditioner and warm water, we began prepping for our second project.

The looms for day two were pre-warped, which made a huge time difference. The warp was a nice perle cotton in ivory and brown, and we we chose the colors for the weft. The project was designed to teach beginning weavers about twills. We learned the basic concepts and the importance of treadles (which are so similar to pedals on a piano or organ) and how they can be used to change the designs of the weave.

We were all amazed at the beautiful work that came out of this sampler – and how each one looked so different due to the colors we chose. I went with a beautiful light brown with a pink sheen. I wanted something neutral and subtle, and I was very pleased with how it looked after a few rows of weaving and beating.

Linda’s sampler in orange

Weaving is a beautiful rhythm: when you get going on a piece, it feels like time just stops and it is just you and the loom, shuttle and thread in hand. As we were working, the studio fell silent, and it was a peaceful time. We were all progressing and learning right there. Within a short time – no more than three hours – we had beautiful samplers. The same patterns, but so different with the colors represented.

…I could definitely get used to this feeling…

I did not come home with a loom, but I am shopping. I have some space constraints, but I also want something that I will really use. The true testament to the durability of the looms came when Carol, the owner of The Mannings, told me that the loom I used on day one had seen hundreds of students’ hands (and their mistakes) and was still working beautifully after 23 years. That particular loom seemed like a great fit – E was on a similar loom, and she agreed. Now I just need to find one… Although I didn’t come home with a loom, I did pick up some other goodies, and of course, I brought home TWO handwoven pieces that are my real pride and joy.

…and you can see all of that in tomorrow’s post…

~

The weekend workshop has been on the books for months, and tomorrow evening, my friend E and I will be going to The Mannings Handweaving School in rural Pennsylvania for a weekend of fiber education. Our class is small and very hands-on. We are staying on-site at the school’s housing and we definitely be steeped in the weaving – and the yarns. I am planning to leave extra room in the car for some “supplies” that I will be bringing home with me…

I do hope that my mind (and my hands) just click with weaving – I have a feeling that my desire to learn will just take over. When I am really into something, I spend great amounts of time researching it, and learning more about it. I did that for knitting, and I know weaving will be the same way.

[Please click for descriptions]

I have been greatly inspired by the many weavers on Flickr and on several weblogs, namely The Daily Purl, Spin | Knit, sweetgeorgia, and IndiKnits. Although I don’t have a loom yet, and have not learned all of the terminology, it appeals to me in every way. I love the functionality of woven fabric and the textural qualities. I am drawn to the simplest of patterns, and this brings me hope: maybe I can actually produce something like this soon.

This weekend is going to be fabulous. I just know it.

…when you see me again, I will be a weaver…

My trip to Peru last month was a life-changing event, in many ways, (even before the earthquake occurred) and I am so happy to share these experiences – especially the fiber-related experiences in the Andes – with this larger audience.

You can see the post here:  Peruvian Knitting Quest.

(and if you are so inclined, leave a comment!)

You can read more about my Peruvian travels here.

Thank you, Intelligent Travel!  and thank you readers!

This woman sat on the steps of the Cathedral in Cusco, quietly using her hand spindle and working the roving through her fingers. She was the first spinner I saw in the city, and we had only been there for a few hours. And there were many more that we saw! As I looked around, I saw many more women, spindles stowed away in their mantas, or in their hands – ready for a free moment to make more yarn for more textiles.

The fiber comes primarily from alpacas, sheep, and llamas: these animals are important to the families and to the societies as a whole, creating fiber, textiles, a revenue stream, and even as food later. It appeared that the baby alpacas were most prized for their fleece, which is soft, warm, and water resistant. Their fleece also commands a higher price, and their spun yarns are used to support the mills, the hand knitters, and the knitting machines that produce the ubiquitous alpaca sweaters, blankets, and woven textiles all over the Andes.

While knitting, crochet, and spinning are important to the Andes, the fiber art that truly defines the culture is weaving. The traditional dress includes elaborate woven garments: a poncho for men, and a manta (cape) for women. Even young children and babies have the beautiful woven clothes!

We had the opportunity to see many weavers working with the traditional back strap looms. The most interactive place to see these weavers (and to learn about the textiles in general) was at the Center for Traditional Textile of Cusco. The Center invites weavers, knitters, and crocheters to demonstrate their work. The Center also serves as a repository for the traditions of the surrounding Andean villages: their textiles are surveyed, and the Center purchases textiles to encourage talented weavers to continue weaving and learning while earning money to support their families.

Education programs are in place to teach the importance of the textile tradition passing from one generation to the next. The Center’s education department has started organizing oral histories originally collected by the village children. The Center also encourages the retainment of the Quechua language. Each textile sold in the Center’s store supports the family that made it – and each textile has a small card with the photograph, name, birth date, and location of the weaver or knitter who made that particular textile. It is a very important tool to connect the buyer with the creator. One particular shawl stood out for me – I was amazed by it’s colors and design. When one of the weavers saw me observing the shawl, he suggested that I try it on, and we could pose for a photograph. Once I put it on, I knew that it was coming home with me. More details on this shawl will come in a later post…

There is no shortage of textiles on the streets of Cusco and the surrounding villages, but the true quality garments are harder to come by (The Center, mentioned above, has excellent quality textiles, and a few other shops do as well). There are many markets that offer up woven and knit alpaca hats, sweater, blankets, rugs, and wall-hangings. The trend in these large markets is to sell the synthetic dyed garments with non-traditional motifs. When I saw the naturally dyed alpaca, wool, and llama shop, I made sure to stop and pick up a hat. I found a lovely woven purse made from orange and brown wools at one of the largest markets in the region: in Pisac, north of Cusco in the Sacred Valley.

[More photos from the Pisac Marketplace]

It was in the village of Chinchero, well known for the quality of their textiles, that I saw two knitters. One was a young teenage boy, using his backpack to hold his skeins of yarn. He was sitting in a group with his peers, and was knitting quickly with double-pointed needles. I was not close enough to see exactly what he was working on or to photograph him. When I saw him again, he was walking down the cobblestone street. I was happy to see this young man carrying on the tradition, knitting in a public place with his friends. The second knitter was an elderly man, standing solitary on the roadside, knitting on an elaborate colorwork chullo.

Click for detail view

I had heard that knitting needles are often recycled bicycle spokes, sharpened to a fine point, and this photograph seems to confirm it. His technique is quite different from European circular knitting – he is actually purling every row in the round, working from the outside of the circular loop, not the inside. This is supposed to be “easier” and with more tension for the integrated colorwork. It is also a tradition that the working yarn is looped around the neck for added control over the tension – it is here, although hard to see. (The end ball is in the small bag near his foot on the ground). A commenter on Flickr noted that his yarn appears to be three or more threads held together. While I did not notice this at the time, it helps explain how quickly he was able to produce the colorwork for the hat.

The techniques of Andean knitting and weaving have piqued my interest, and I plan to do more research on the topic. I was chatting with Eunny about this technique over the weekend, and she mentioned an Andean Knitting workshop she had seen advertised, possibly at a Stitches event. If any of you have seen these classes offered, or have taken them yourself, I would love to hear more about it. In the meantime, I am checking out some books on Andean knitting (review to come) and I even signed up for a beginning weaving workshop this winter…